Sadly I don't seem to be making much impression here! For anyone into Facebook, I have a group called Merchant Ships in Miniature. Link:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1841532386133008/ It now has 157 members and is very successful. I have always had the impression that not many people were actually interested in building model merchant ships, so this has been a pleasant surprise. The group is for those few who have tired of assembling large and expensive kits that take months and months to complete, and have grown weary of an endless round of
Cutty Sark, Bounty, Victory, Titanic, Constitution etc.
Bob